Banana crate



y 1952 G. J. scHMlTz 2,598,136

BANANA CRATE Filed Oct. 4, 1949 '2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 JNVENTOR. GEORGE J.SCH M ITZ ATTORNEY May 27, 1952 G. J. SCHMITZ 2,598,136

BANANA CRATE Filed on. 4. 1949 2 SHEETS-Sl-IEET 2 INVENTOR.

GEORGE J SCHMITZ FIGURE 5. ATTORNEY Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE BANANA CRATE George J. Schmitz, Kansas City, Mo.

Application October 4, 1949, Serial No. 119,419

Claims. 1

This invention relates to a banana shipping crate and more particularlyto one having a shallow flexible lining spaced and suspended from thecrate to prevent chafing of the lining and bruising of the bananas.

Heretofore bananas have been shipped on the stalk and placed in deepround type vertical baskets with a cloth lining that would often permitthe bananas to become bruised and chilled during shipment.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved horizontalshipping crate that supports a depending or suspended flexible liningspaced from the side walls and bottom of the crate to prevent theflexible wall from coming in contact with the side walls or bottom ofthe crate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide spaced crossmembers inside of the crate near the top thereof from one wall to theopposite wall of the shipping crate and latch or anchor in position tothe crate walls to support the flexible liner.

Another object of the present invention is to stretch by anchorage thedepending or suspended liner within the crate to prevent any appreciablemovement of the liner from side to side during the rocking action of asteam vessel at sea, on shipping trucks or trains.

Another object of the improved invention is to provide a cross memberpreferably at an intermediate point of the length of the horizontalcrate to support a mid-portion of the liner, the liner being arched atthe bottom to prevent undue sagging and chafing on the bottom of thebanana crate.

Another object of the improved invention i to provide fulcrumed supportmembers at the ends of the crate that may be swung into position acrossthe top of the crate near the ends thereof to support a like basketthereon, each crate having an interlocking co-acting member on thebottom thereof to prevent shifting of one crate on another.

With these objects in-view the invention will be better understood bythe accompanying drawings and the more detailed description thatfollows.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a pair of improved crates with theimproved type of lining and one crate being stacked upon the other toillustrate the interlocking or latching members to prevent shifting ofone crate upon the other.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of a pair of improved empty crates nestedtogether for shipping purposes, one end of the lining being unlatchedand resting on the bottom of the crate to permit nesting of the crates.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the crate with the improved linerillustrating a few of many bananas which are cut from a stalk andwrapped in a blanket to prevent freezing.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal interior broken view in elevation of theimproved crate and lining.

Figure 5 is a perspective fragmentary view of one end of the crate andanchored liner with one of the fulcrumed supports opened outward anddotted on the crate in its supporting position.

The crate 6 is composed of wire open type side walls 1 and 8 which areconnected to and spaced by end walls 9 and ID. The side walls 1 and 8and end walls 9 and I0 are inclined from a vertical position and havetheir respective lower edges spaced closer together than their upperedges, the walls converging from the top toward the wire open typebottom I I of the crate for nesting or stacking of the crates when theyare empty.

The improved liner l2 comprises side walls l3 spaced apart by end wallsI4 all of which converge from top to :bottom and join the liner bottomI5 which is arched by the gather Hi to prevent sagging and chafing ofthe liner on the bottom i l of the crate. It will be noted that theliner is smaller than the crate and definitely spaced from the cratewalls. The liner is preferably made from flexible and non-elasticmaterial to hold its shape when in a depending or suspended stretchedposition as explained in the following description. The flexibleimproved liner l2 in one form has insulation qualities, has a separateadditional insulated blanket I! or may be combined into a double linerwith insulated material therebetween.

The upper end l8 of one end wall liner 14 has a fold over a wire anchoror cross bar l9 which is secured to the crate end wall 9 by stirrupformed ends 29 bent at right angles and preferably pivoted on the wireformed wall 9. The side wire formed walls 1 and 8 have latch recesses2|, 22, 23 and 24 formed in the upper portion of the side walls and nearthe opposite end wall Ill. The upper end 25 of the opposite end wallliner I4 has a fold over a wire anchor or cross bar 26 which has rightangled hooked ends 2'! and 28 latched into some of the recesses of theside walls to give the proper stretch in the lining to prevent sagging.A center anchor support wire 29 located at the mid-way point of thelength of the crate is passed through the lining side walls I3 near thetop of the liner and has hooks 39 to hook 3 on to the side walls I and8. This wire support 29 passes below the cover and prevents the centerof the liner from sagging to the wire bottom ll of the crate. A coverIS! on the liner is attached to one of the side walls [3.

Fulcrummed support bars or cross members 3| hold the liner cover 13!down on the blanket or insulated liner and have right angle bends 32turned upward at right angles and outward for support reverse bends 33that normally rest on the side walls I and 8. The reverse bends 33 areformed with extended arms 34 bent at right angles thereto and pivoted onthe wire formed end walls 9 and i0. These fulcrumed support bars 3|support a like crate and latch the lower edges 35 of side walls I and 8of a like crateinto interlocked position to prevent shifting of stackedcrates. I

In the operation of packing the crate it is quite obvious thatthefulcrumed bars 34 are swung outward, the liner cover "I 3| swung outsideof the crate, the blanket if separate from the liner opened and theliner is stretched and anchored with the bar 26 latched into the properrecesses. Bananas are cut from the stalk and packed, covered by theblanket and insulation liner cover.

An insulated double liner maybe preferred in some cases. The fulcrumedbars 3| are raised, swung inward on the coverfofthe liner to hold it inposition. The bends 3-2'and 33 therein are supported on'the side walls Iand Band support and latch a like crate thereon by means of coactingoifset wires 35 in the lower portion of side Walls 1 and 8,

When the crates are shipped empty they are nested as illustrated inFigure 2 with bars 26 unlatched and the greater part of the linerresting on the bottom of the crate'and one end of the liner "stillanchored to cross bar 19.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1. A banana shipping crate comprising side wallsspaced by and joinedtoend walls, a stirrup shapedmember, said stirrup shaped memberfulcrumedon the top 'of one'end wall, across bar, a cloth liner havingside walls spaced by and joined to end wallswith a bottom and top cover,one'oi said cloth liner end walls having the top thereof joined to'anddepending from said stirrup, the opposite end wall having'the "topthereof supported by said cross bar latched'into the side wallsof saidcrate, said liner forming a receptacle and being spaced from all ofthe'crate walls and'bottom' of said crate to prevent chafing thereof-and bruising of fruit when placed in said liner.

2. A banana crate comprising side walls and end walls, a stirrup member,a cross bar, said stirrup connected to one crate end wall, a receptaclebeing smaller than the crate, said receptacle suspended within saidcrate and supported near the end Walls of said crate by said stirrupmember and said cross bar, and said receptacle being stretched betweensaid stirrup shaped member and said cross bar and spaced from the wallsof said crate.

3. A banana shipping crate comprising side walls spaced by and joined toend walls, a stirrup shaped member, said stirrup shaped member fulcrumedon the top of one end wall, a cross bar, a flexible receptacle havingside walls spaced by and joined to end walls with a bottom and topcover, one of said end walls of said flexible receptacle joined to anddepending from said stirrup, the opposite end wall supported by saidcross bar latched into the side walls of said crate, said flexiblereceptacle being stretched between said stirru'p shaped member andsaidcross bar and spaced from all of the walls and bottom of said crate.

4. A banana crate comprising side walls and end walls, a stirrup member,a crossbar, said stirrup connected to one crate end wall, a receptaclesuspended within said crate and supported near the end walls of saidcrateby said stirrup member and said cross bar, and said receptaclebeing spaced from the walls of said crate.

5. A banana shipping crate comprising flared sides and ends, a fabricliner receptacle having flared sides and ends with a bottom and topcover, cross bars, said fabric liner-receptacle ends supported on saidcross bars, said cross -'bars secured to the sides of said crate,said-liner being spaced from the crate sides and ends and said bottom ofsaid crate, said liner being stretched between said cross bars, and saidliner receptacle being arched on the bottom to prevent chafing on thecrate. 7

GEORGE J. scHMrrz.

REFERENCES CITED The following references 'are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 821,230 Fowler May 22, 19061,187,749 Lane June 20, 1916 1,194,680 Studebaker Aug. 15, 19162,194,008 'Colburn, Jr Mar. 19, 1940 2,401,063 Fordon May 28, 1946

